Melting your heart
by sleepingempress
Summary: After the Shinobi War, Sasuke awaits judgement from his past crimes in a cold, dark cell below the mountains of the Land of Frost. This story is about Kakashi's journey to save him. (Kakasasu) Chap.16 is up!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

**Warning: boyxboy**

**A/N: Thank you for reading and please enjoy! Comments will really help me so please leave one when you have the time!**

-=oOo=- 

"Kakashi."

Tsunade's voice was echoing in Kakashi's head. She had muttered this word before, behind her desk in the Hokage's office. Kakashi had paid her a brief visit that time, to request for an indefinite leave of absence from his missions. He didn't say what he was using his time for and since Tsunade didn't ask or seemed to know his answer, Kakashi kept quiet.

The Fourth Shinobi War had just ended and Konohagakure was in a state of recovery. All Shinobi were mobilized to reconstruct the village. Some were helping in rebuilding the houses and some sent to missions to regain their funding. Konohagakure had always suffered from numerous attacks in the past and the village was known for its resilience to withstand total destruction. This time was no different; they would need every able hand to rebuild Konohagakure from the ashes.

"Do not do this." Tsunade's voice was resolute. In Kakashi's ears, it was more of a plea than an order.

He knew that Tsunade was opposed to his idea. More than worrying about losing a capable shinobi at this critical time, the Godaime was worried that his personal mission would endanger all the progress they made. Not to mention the impression it would make to the other Kage's. If they knew of what Kakashi was about to do, another Shinobi War might be upon them.

"You can't stop me." Kakashi's reply sounded equally resolute.

He did not intend for it to sound so challenging but hopefully the Hokage was wise enough to know the meaning of his words. With or without her permission, Kakashi would still go through with it. Even logic could not stop him. He was known for making sound judgements, in both battle and in life. It was unlike him to do such a crazy thing.

_In the shinobi world, those who betray the rules are trash… _

He was breaking more than a dozen Shinobi codes. He was being selfish - thinking only of what would lighten the burden in his chest, what would clear his conscience, even for a little bit. His soul was boiling in rage, and anger has replaced the calm in his heart.

_But those who betray their comrades are worse than trash._

How can they expect him to do nothing while Sasuke was being held in a dark cell, thousands of feet beneath the frosty mountains, cold and all alone? After seeing Sasuke fighting alongside the Shinobi Alliance and defeating their enemies to the point of sacrificing his life, he should be deemed a hero just as much as Naruto and the others had been. Sasuke might have made a mistake along the way and Kakashi understood that he needed to be punished for his crimes but to treat him this way was unforgivable. He was to remain in that cell until the five Kage's figure out what to do with him.

Naruto and Sakura had been stubbornly protesting at the five Kage's decision. The ending of the war signified breaking the cycle of hate and revenge and treating Sasuke this way is going against that. However, Naruto and Sakura eventually accepted their decision after talking with Sasuke. Sasuke had thanked them for their efforts, reassuring them that this was needed to be done for the peace of all. Sasuke had promised that he would accept whatever judgement was made because he trusts the Kage's with his life. During the war, Sasuke had a change of heart and it showed when he gladly, wholeheartedly, accepted their decision.

At that time, Kakashi had put his trust in Sasuke too. He thought Sasuke was longing for forgiveness from himself and this was his way to atone for his sins. Kakashi had admired at how fine a shinobi Sasuke has become and he had respected his decision to straighten his past mistakes.

What angered Kakashi was the fact that Sasuke has been under the mountains of Shimogakure for a month now and still a decision has yet to be made. Everyone was focused on restoration of their countries that they have forgotten about Sasuke. Tsunade was explaining how the meeting to decide Sasuke's punishment has been pushed back to the next month when she noticed a murderous glint in Kakashi's uncovered eye. That was when Kakashi made his request.

The jounin inhaled the icy air through his mask. Atop an aged pine tree, he scanned the unending plains of snow of the Land of Frost. Behind the thick layer of ice crystals in the air, he could see the snow mountain past Shimokagure. He adjusted the band of cloth to cover his Sharingan eye. He had temporarily removed the metal plate from his forehead protector. He was here not as a shinobi of the Leaf. He was here on a different mission -

To save Sasuke from his icy prison.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you to Thrix, Rosebunse, Prescripto13 and quitedcat for your comments! I feel so energized to write after reading them! And for all those reading my story, thank you very much, if you can, please let me know if you've enjoyed it too!**

-=oOo=-

Blotches of red stain the snow covered ground.

Kakashi swiftly binds the lone remaining shinobi with his wire strings and knocked him unconscious. A thick layer of snow was already covering two of the attacker's companions that were struck down and lying on the ground. Kakashi figures they have planned this attack a few hours before, judging by the traps they set. That means they knew that he was crossing the tundra, taking the long path around the mountain and avoiding passing Shimogakure altogether.

This was an ambush.

Shimogakure must have highly skilled chakra-sensing shinobi. After all, that was all you can rely on in these harsh weather conditions. There was low to zero visibility throughout the day as snowstorms lasted for prolonged periods of time. Apart from that, retaining orientation when landmarks and distinctive features are non-existent was extremely difficult, especially with the thick snow.

Kakashi would have liked to admire them more – the villagers, the shinobi, the plants, the animals, and the persistence of life in this frozen world - but for the meantime, he only masked his chakra. Despite planning on conserving his chakra for the infiltration of the underground ice fortress, he had been constantly using them to keep warm and keep going. He had paid more attention on his speed rather than hiding his tracks, thinking that the snow would cover his footprints and the sharp winds would blow his scent away. Clearly, he had underestimated the shinobi of the Frost.

Immediately after lowering his chakra to an undetectable level, Kakashi feels the cold permeate his skin and soak in his bones. The sudden wind-chill disorients him for a moment. He looks at his hands, to the pale white skin that his half finger gloves allowed to expose. If he stayed in the middle of the snow storm any longer, he would suffer from a serious case of frostbite.

Taking one hard look at the sky, he sees the faint glint of the icy mountain tops. Despite the daylight, there was constant darkness all around him. Calculating from this position, it would take at least another day for him to be able to reach the foot of the mountain. That is, if he could outrun the blizzard that was chasing him since last night.

The blizzard had caught up to him almost instantly and Kakashi was forced into a cave of snow. With the driest leaves and branches he could find, he was able to make a fire that lasted a minute before the cold wind extinguished the flames. He adjusted the makeshift door covering the entrance of the cave and settled for the warmth from his hooded cloak. He reached his pockets for a small amount of edible plants he unearthed this morning. While solemnly eating the bitter leaves piece by piece, a thought had struck him.

Were Sasuke's guardians feeding him nutritious food? Agriculture in this land was impossible. They must have had raw meat and fish all year round. Do they give him a meal twice or at least once a day?

Did they have a bed for him? Does he stay in a stone room? Was there a candle? Was it warm?

Were there bars for doors? Was he tied to the wall? Hanging from the ceiling? His hands bound? Chains around his feet?

Had Sasuke been put to sleep? Was he in a tank? Surrounded by dark plasma? With a mask in his mouth? And tubes inserted into his body?

As simple as it may sound, Kakashi just wanted to check up on Sasuke's wellbeing. He just wanted to see with his own eyes if he was alright. The whole purpose of this trip was to let Sasuke know that he was there and he cared. It was never his plan to break him out. Sasuke, after all, believed that he was helping the world achieve peace by staying there. Forcing him out would be an insult to his efforts.

Kakashi remembers a time where he had planned to sacrifice himself for the benefit of the village. He let Hiruko lure him by giving up control of his mind. By doing so, he could activate the Mangekyo Sharingan that would result into Hiruko's and his own death. What saved him that time was the words he left his students on their first day of training. The same words spoken by a man whose name was carved in the memorial stone present there.

Sasuke was doing the same thing - he was sacrificing himself for the greater good. That was not necessarily a bad thing. All Kakashi wanted was for him to know was that he was not alone.

Kakashi was afraid. Afraid that if Sasuke knew that they have abandoned him, a seed of hate will be planted in his heart. It only takes one disappointment, just one ill thought, to turn Sasuke's fragile heart back to the darkness. All his life, he had lived for hatred and revenge. For the first time, Sasuke could see hope, a brighter future. It would be too cruel to take that light away from him again. If the seed of hatred in Sasuke's heart grew, how will they ever rid of it again? It might take another annihilation of a clan, another death by a loved one, another war, to make it right again.

Kakashi wanted to trust Sasuke, wanted to believe that he was strong. Everyone – the five Kage's, Sakura, Naruto – had complete faith in Sasuke's change of heart. They believed that Sasuke would be able to hold on beyond the promised time.

But Kakashi would not make the same mistake twice. He had trusted Sasuke completely too. He had complete faith in him that time. He believed that Sasuke had listened to his words while he was tied up to that tree that night when he planned to leave, that night the shinobi from the Sound had tempted him. Kakashi believed in Sasuke, completely.

Yet Sasuke left.

Kakashi turns his head slightly. An eye buried deep in the hood of his cloak squinted in the darkness. The blizzard shook the ground. The wind raged and the sky rumbled. The rain froze everything in its path. It would last until midnight. It would delay him half a day.

"Hold on a little while longer," Kakashi spoke softly behind his mask; his throat cold and dry, aching, wishing his voice would reach its intended recipient.

"I'm almost there."


	3. Chapter 3

Ramen never tasted so good. How Teuchi concocted this heavenly broth was beyond him; the man is a genius, he's convinced. The way the meat seems to soften between your teeth, the way the flavours burst in your mouth at every bite – if there was a jutsu for making ramen, he wouldn't mind copying this skill. Ramen truly is the best pleasure.

Speaking about pleasure, the next volume should be already out by n-

"Aren't you already late, eh Kakashi?"

Kakashi knew that voice. The last time he and his father spoke was in the camp-fire during the invasion of Pain and strangely, no other Hatake Sakumo was more real for him. He was able to meet him after dying and maybe because he was at the brink of death that Kakashi could hear his father's voice again.

"What kind of lame ass excuse are you going to give him this time, eh son?"

Kakashi takes an icy breath of life. He hears the far off muffled rumble of the lingering storm and notices that nature seems to have held her breath too. He shifts slightly from his seat, cracking a thin layer of ice wrapping his whole body. With the help of an eerie glow from the moon, he notices the door of the cave was blown away. The moonlight outlined a strange feathery clump near his feet and Kakashi springs up, ready to strike at the enemy.

However the small, snowy owl was already dead. From how the feathers were scattered, Kakashi could tell that the small bird had crash landed outside and crawled its way into the warmer confines of the cave. With a closer look, Kakashi discovers a small tube attached to its leg.

_Intermittent._

Kakashi's hands tremble and the light paper slips from his fingers. He rarely, almost never, lost control but right now his hands were shaking in fury. Damn them, damn them all. It was the Kage's rule to let no one see Sasuke, with the five of them as exception. Don't they have the decency to appear in front of Sasuke and tell it to him face to face? The promised time was three days before and the message was only being delivered now?

If it was their decision to let him stay another month, then let it be so. Sasuke could accept imprisonment, even death, as a punishment but to be thrust aside like this, without explanation, was truly far too cruel. Especially for Sasuke who, despite having never trusted anyone before, wholeheartedly placed his fate in another's hands.

Will Sasuke be able to trust people again?

Kakashi unclenched his fists. Was he too late after all?

"We're late, aren't we?" Kakashi mumbles. In his eyes, the snowy owl looked rather unfulfilled in his death. His wings were spread wide, feathers frozen, long, sharp icicles hanging from each vane. The little bird must have avoided the path of the snow storm like him, only to be blasted away by the blizzard that followed. He must have met the blizzard head on, risking his life, not wanting to waste more time, knowing the importance of the message he was carrying.

"I don't know how you lived," Kakashi picks up and rolls the paper before placing it back at the owl's leg. "But you died like a real shinobi." He would have liked to dig a grave for it but if someone were to find it, they would know an unfriendly visitor was roaming about. Kakashi was wise enough to know not to attract suspicion to himself.

After checking if he had left other traces in the cave, Kakashi swiftly hastened towards the mountains. He travelled on through the darkness, senseless and instinctive, taking one step after another, transforming into a machine moving forever forward.

Sometime during the night of the next day, Kakashi was stopped by a familiar image of clumped feathers in the middle of a frozen lake. He figures this was a predecessor of the young snowy owl peacefully resting in that cave. Did it fell during the return journey? Or did it fail to deliver the message too?

Kakashi stopped briefly, tempted to go out the frozen field and retrieve the message. But since it may be a trap, he brushed the thought away and pressed onward. He couldn't be delayed any longer.

However, the closer he approached the underground fortress' entrance, the more difficult it became to continue. Lowering his chakra was to an undetectable level benefited him tremendously. He kept bumping into Frost shinobi who were setting up sentry wards infused with sensing chakra. It looks like they were lying in wait; like they were _expecting_ someone to break in.

Had they known that an outsider was trying to infiltrate? Had Tsunade -?

No. Something was wrong. Even if Tsunade named him a deserter, her warning wouldn't travel as fast as he had. Summoned animals couldn't make it through the blizzard. Any chakra-made carrier would be distorted at the atypical levels of natural energy present here.

Kakashi feels worried with every step. He's tempted to use Sharingan to get a grasp of the situation. How many enemies was he expecting? What kind of skills do they posses?

If he were captured then he might be taken to the underground fortress. However, there was a slim chance that they would spare his life. If he reveals his position now and attacks, he would be straying from his true purpose.

Kakashi pushes onward. His mission is to infiltrate and escape the fortress undetected. Depending on Sasuke's condition and state of mind, he'd like for this visit to be unknown to Sasuke too. If Sasuke wasn't being maltreated and neglected, if he wasn't feeling alone and abandoned, then Kakashi might consider not showing his face. But if it came to it, he was prepared to do all he could to make sure Sasuke didn't stay that way.

Finally, having endured the long and harsh journey, Kakashi arrives at the entrance of the underground fortress. There was a giant opening in the foot of the mountain. Kakashi found it odd that protective barriers were not set-up.

Kakashi was equally disturbed by the lack of shinobi on guard duty. There was only one to guard the wide entrance. He was more alarmed when he found out that only a dozen shinobi were patrolling the multi-levelled fortress. There was only one way in and out and being underground posed a challenge for break-ins but it was unbelievably easy to slip past their security.

Had he walked straight into a trap?

Without much difficulty, Kakashi was able to make it past torch lit hallways and down stone spiral staircases unnoticed. Like a hound, he relied on his acute sense of smell to locate Sasuke. He decided to start at the bottommost floor – a practical area for maximum security.

True enough, he detects a faint smell coming from one of the steel reinforced doors. Upon a closer look, the door had every binding spell imaginable. It made no sense that it was slightly open.

Kakashi feels his stomach drop when he gets a whiff of the air coming from the inside.

_"Aren't you already late, eh Kakashi?" _his father's voice echoes in his head.

Is that… Sasuke's blood?

-=oOo=-

A/N: Is the story good so far? Worth continuing? I'm dying to know what you think! Please review and thank you!


	4. Chapter 4

It wasn't warm. It wasn't bright either.

There were no torches in the wall or candles in the nightstand. The bed was lonely in one of the corners of the small room - Sasuke's scent lingered there. There was dripping water coming from a door in one side; the bathroom perhaps. There was a chest near the bed for clothes and sheets. There was a table beside it with bags of pemmican, jars of honey, dehydrated vegetables and dried fruits.

Were they planning to keep Sasuke here forever?

Kakashi grabs a torch form the hallway and illuminates the interior. The same barrier technique applied in the door was also present in the walls, ceiling and floor. He could see the black marks that burned in the wood once the seals were released. This room was made for long-term habitation and containment. Nothing gets in and out, even chakra. Nobody gets in. Nobody gets out.

So where is Sasuke?

None of that explained why Sasuke wasn't present in the room. Why is it that only droplets of his blood can be found in the floor? Why is it that tears were mixed there?

Had Sasuke been taken? Who could have planned to abduct him?

No. Something was wrong with that thought. If Kakashi were to make an intelligent guess, there was only one explanation to why the whole shinobi force left the fortress, why they were setting up chakra-sensing wards in the forest, why they were seemingly waiting for someone.

Their prisoner had escaped.

Kakashi doesn't waste any time loitering there. Somewhere in the whole Land of Frost, Sasuke was fleeing, was hiding. Kakashi's insides tensed because he knew - he knew what Sasuke could have been thinking. He was waiting and waiting and when the time came, there was nothing. Kakashi couldn't imagine what it felt like for him. For his trust to be exploited like that. Did Sasuke feel used? Did he feel tricked? Deceived? Fooled?

Kakashi cursed in his head. Had Sasuke left to get revenge from the five Kage's? Had he gone to seek vengeance for their trickery?

Kakashi cursed again. Now is not the time to think. Right now he had to find Sasuke before the Frost shinobi does. Now is not the time to think what he would say and do once he finds him. Right now, Kakashi needs to find Sasuke first.

Breaking out of the underground fortress was as easy as breaking in. As he climbed higher, he feels the wind began to blow again. The breeze was refreshing and pleasant at first but as he stepped in the mountain ledge, it transformed into a hateful gale. His eye scans the barren, frozen desert. The vastness of nothingness reflects his contemptible existence. Going this far and achieving nothing -how can he have let this happen?

Kakashi lifts the band of cloth covering his Sharingan eye and hesitates. He is tempted to use the Eye of Insight to search for Sasuke's chakra. However, since the Frost shinobi was around then he would risk being found out and-

Wait.

If highly skilled chakra sensing shinobi were unable to detect Sasuke, it could mean that Sasuke was no longer in the Frost Country. This is highly unlikely because he couldn't have left so fast without using chakra. Sasuke must have masked his chakra, as what he's done, to avoid detection. Then he must be on his foot, struggling with the harsh weather.

Kakashi closed his eyes and tried to think harder. There was something missing in that deduction. Sasuke could defeat all Frost Shinobi to escape. Why didn't he?

Because he couldn't.

Because the five Kage's used an imprisonment technique on Sasuke.

That was when Kakashi realized the severity of the situation. Sasuke couldn't use his chakra. Against so many enemies, against the powers of nature, Sasuke was defenceless. But more than that-

He was untraceable.

Somewhere in this snow, Sasuke was fighting to stay alive. Kakashi had seen the Frost shinobi looking for him since last night. Sasuke had been struggling in the snow for half a day. Without chakra, can he survive?

Kakashi stopped thinking at that point. Driven by an unexplainable force, Kakashi was on his feet again and back into the frozen woods. He had been running non-stop as if his own life depended on it. The wind had gone so cold that each breath was a test of strength. Every aching joint and stiffened muscle was a painful reminder that Sasuke was experiencing the same hurting.

Kakashi sees the lake from before and he stops again. He notices that the snowy owl that was supposed to be in the middle of it was missing. Then he sees the breaks in the ice and follows where the cracks lead. It was there, in the small mound of snow in the edge of the lake, that he found a body lying lifelessly on the ground.

Sasuke.

Kakashi didn't even have time to feel relieved. He went up to him quickly, tearing the wind apart in his speed. As soon as he was kneeling at the boy's motionless body, he turned him over and called his name.

"Sasuke!"

There was no response.

Kakashi lifted the boy's upper body and cradled it in his lap, cupping his face. Sasuke was terribly pale and losing warmth drastically. Kakashi tried to check his pulse, but his fingers have lost their feeling in the cold.

Kakashi scoops him from the snow and battles his way in the sharp gusts of wind. He finds a rocky hill and strikes it in such a way that a deep hole comes about. It transforms to a cave hollow enough so that the wind was abated in the deepest parts.

Kakashi carefully lays Sasuke down. It was then that he notices that Sasuke was still alive. There was smoke in his mouth; he was breathing. Kakashi lifts Sasuke's shirt and he sees the imprisonment seal weaving around Sasuke's body. It was draining Sasuke's chakra and prevents him from using any of it.

Now was not the time to think but Kakashi couldn't help but deliberate in his head. As a shinobi, he was trained to think, sometimes three, or four, or five steps ahead.

The seal can only be released by the castor. There was no way he could remove it. This imprisonment technique was an Ice Release combining the Wind and Water nature. For Sasuke to be able to use chakra with the seal, he had to be submerged in Lava.

Such pointless thinking.

Of course, he could always create a fire. Radiant heat from a fire must be applied conservatively and slowly or it could have adverse effects. A small fire would be easily put out and a big one would be undesirable. He would have to muster a lot of elements to make a suitable size. That is, if he can use his chakra freely. But then, he risks being found out by the Frost shinobi. Then again, if they will let Sasuke live after his escape. Unless, Kakashi fights them and defeats them all. By then, Sasuke would have died.

Such pointless thinking.

Kakashi starts to undress.


	5. Chapter 5

There is no room for hesitation.

Kakashi swiftly unzips his flak jacket, laying it down unceremoniously at his back. He makes fast work of the various pouches strapped to his legs and dumps them at his sides. He anxiously looks at the water vaporizing in Sasuke's lips as he removed his leather arm guards. His gloves, since it went all the way up his arm, took a little more time to take out. While taking a quick glance at the howling wind outside, he stripped his arm of the bandages, letting the white strips coil back at the ground.

Kakashi took a deep breath before removing his blue shirt. Although anticipated, he still shivered when his bare skin met the cool air. All his muscles tensed and surprisingly, he could feel the heat from his body escape through his skin. Glancing at Sasuke's parted lips again, which was now turning white, he's reminded that he shouldn't be wasting any more of it.

Kakashi didn't delay and slips a thumb between his waist and pants. He strips down to his undergarments, leaving only his strapped up sandals on his feet. Even though he ran so hard and long, his perspiration quickly evaporated and now his lower half was also as cold as his upper parts.

Kakashi takes his hooded cloak and shakes it lightly, letting the snow that clung to it fall. Wool was best for absorbing and retaining heat. He meticulously pats it again, making sure that it was dry as wet clothing could extract body heat radically faster.

Which is why Sasuke needs to get out of those clothes now.

Compared to Kakashi, who made preparations for this wintry journey to the point of bringing a woolen cloak, Sasuke didn't seem to have considered the weather conditions. He wore a blue high collared, long sleeved shirt with pants made of lightly woven fabric – the same ones he saw at the chest back at his room. It's a miracle that Sasuke made it this far from the mountains with this attire. They were frozen; it will be harmful for Sasuke if it thaws while he was wearing it.

Although in a hurry, Kakashi carefully lifted Sasuke into a sitting position. Sasuke's muscles were already rigid and he wasn't shivering at all – which could only mean that his condition is getting worse. Kakashi places the hooded cloak at Sasuke's shoulders before anything else. Being as gentle as possible, Kakashi started to undress him. He starts with the shirt, lifting it up and out of his arms, making sure that the cloak shielded his back from the cold wind. Trying not to be distracted by the nasty seal that crept in Sasuke's skin, Kakashi took the pants off next, still making sure that the long cloak covered Sasuke's feet.

Kakashi originally planned to lay him down – that would be the best. However, since the ground was freezing over, that was no longer an option. Kakashi was left with lifting Sasuke up and straddling him on his lap. Gentle treatment was critical so Kakashi was being gentle when he tucked Sasuke's legs beside his thighs. He pulled him closer, making sure that their bodies were perpendicular to each other. Because of the height difference, and with the boy sitting on his lap, Sasuke's head fell between Kakashi's chest and shoulder. He adjusted Sasuke's head a little, cupping the back of the boy's head to turn it so that the forehead would come in contact to his long neck. That was when Kakashi remembered he still wore his mask. He hesitated for a fraction of a second before inhaling sharply as he took them off.

Majority of heat lost is from the head and neck, where there are a large number of blood vessels that make sure the brain will have an adequate supply of blood. The most efficient method would be skin to skin contact, for faster heat transfer through conduction. Ironically, Kakashi gained this knowledge when he was learning how to kill people. He learned to inject poison where blood circulates faster, what kind of blow to land in different vital spots, where to cut, rip and tear to achieve a critical hit, the most efficient strike with maximum damage.

Kakashi thought, learning how to kill was worth it, for this.

The feeling of Sasuke's chest pressed against his makes Kakashi realize how cold Sasuke's body has become. He doesn't waste any time and proceeds re-warming Sasuke before his heart stops. He places his hand on Sasuke's back to support him and with his other hand wraps the cloak around them. He makes it as tight as possible, like seaweed paper in norimaki, so that no heat could escape. Finally, after placing his other hand on the back of Sasuke's neck, Kakashi relaxes; he could feel the warmth transfer.

After a few minutes, Kakashi frowns. He knew this was a slow process but he can't help but fear for Sasuke's life. Sasuke was so incredibly cold that Kakashi thinks he too would become hypothermic while attempting to re-warm the boy.

As a final precaution, Kakashi gathers chakra - still upon the allowed level beyond detection - and tried to pass on some warm energy to Sasuke little by little. It was going well for a second, but then Sasuke's whole body jerks. Sasuke's hands suddenly cling at him, fingers digging in his back. With eyebrows wrinkling, Sasuke presses his forehead deeper into Kakashi's neck.

He was in pain.

Kakashi stopped passing the chakra, patting the back of Sasuke's head in a soothing, apologetic manner. Those bastards. What did they do to Sasuke? What kind of a hellish seal is this?

Kakashi was forced to reduce into warming himself again and let conduction do the work. This would take a day at most. Or maybe shorter because the amount of water vapor that Sasuke was exhaling was beginning to increase. Also, though it was weak, slow and irregular, Kakashi could finally feel Sasuke's pulse.

After some time, Sasuke's face began to relax. The pain was gone and Kakashi could see that he had become comfortable. Kakashi didn't think about it much, but he could feel Sasuke snuggling closer.

Though his back was starting to ache, Kakashi refrained from moving. He was used to staking out for days, but in this cold, he fought to stay awake. Occasionally though, he closes his eyes, briefly resting his head on Sasuke's, his hot breath warming the top of the boy's head.

Though it was cold, it was warm. It was a new feeling for Kakashi.

New, but not unpleasant.

-=oOo=-

**A/N: Was it creepy? I wanted it to be sweet in a non-sweet kind of way, I don't know **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Sorry this update took so long. Got lost in the road of life. Ahahaha! From here on out Sasuke will be a little out of character (he's supposed to be a changed man after all). Please tell me if it gets overboard. Thanks! You're the best!**

-=oOo=-

40 beats per minute.

Kakashi lets out an uncharacteristic sigh. He looks down at the seemingly asleep boy and brushes away the hair that fell in his face. Sasuke was breathing normally and there was color in his face. After a full day of thorough re-warming, Sasuke's body had regained its ability to warm itself.

Kakashi slowly undoes the cloak that was wrapping the both of them and tried to extract himself. Sasuke was still unconscious and he might need to lie down and stay wrapped up like that for another day or so. He pushed Sasuke's shoulders away and was surprised when he got an unexpected reaction.

"Uhm…" Sasuke hummed, burying his face in Kakashi's chest. His arms steadied their grip around Kakashi's body, pulling him back and not letting him get away.

"Oi!" Kakashi said quietly, tilting his head to get a look at Sasuke's face. Was he awake?

Upon a closer inspection, Sasuke was still asleep. Maybe the sudden loss of heat elicited that response. Kakashi pushed him away, slowly this time.

"-san…" Sasuke mumbled, bringing a hand up Kakashi's chest and around his neck. He was snuggling closer, but getting too close for comfort.

"Sasuke?" Kakashi asked again. Unlike him, who has been in a lot of awkward situations where his nonchalance saved him, Kakashi didn't know how Sasuke would react. Though he had a clue on what Sasuke might think when he wakes up half naked in the arms of another man – he'd rather not risk it.

"Nii-san…" Sasuke huffed in a breath.

_Ah._ Kakashi gets it. _He's dreaming._

It must have been a good dream. Sasuke's lips were slightly curved into a smile. The expression in his face was that of rare happiness and contentment. He looked so different in his sleep - so angelic and so child-like. Before the war he looked rough and scary; he was a revenge-hungry, homicidal maniac after all. When in fact, he was just a healthy, young boy.

How could someone be so damaged and broken?

Kakashi waited until Sasuke's grasp loosened before freeing himself from his hold. He wrapped Sasuke in the long cloak once more and laid him down the driest part of the cave. Kakashi gathered his things and got dressed. After stretching his stiff joints, he tried to survey the situation outside. The weather wasn't getting any better. Just stepping out of the cave would be suicidal. This would be advantageous for them. The Frost shinobi search parties must be having a hard time.

While waiting for Sasuke to wake up, Kakashi spent his time thinking. He tried to think how Sasuke managed to break the seals in his room and get past the guards. After deciding that Sasuke was probably the only one who could illuminate him in that area, Kakashi was now thinking what kinds of questions would Sasuke ask once he woke up.

When his head started to ache, Kakashi stopped thinking. He decided to just meditate and empty his mind; some form of enlightenment might appear. At one point, Kakashi was so deep in meditation that he didn't notice a small movement.

"Who's there?!"

Kakashi flinched at the question. He sprung from where he sat and was in his attack stance in a second.

"ANSWER ME!"

Kakashi didn't drop his stance and stared at the source of the angry demands. Sasuke was sitting upright, fists clenching fabric from the cloak, desperately clutching them to cover his nakedness. He looked like he was sufficiently awake but he still had his eyes closed. Was he still dreaming?

"I KNOW YOU'RE THERE!" Sasuke continued to angrily shout. "WHO ARE YOU?!"

"Sasuke…" Kakashi could only gape. "What happened to your eyes?"

"Kakashi?" Sasuke's face softened as soon as he heard him. Despite his threats, it looked like he wasn't expecting anyone to be really there. He had his eyes closed; he couldn't open them. He turned his face to the source of the voice. "I- I- I-" he stuttered; he didn't expect Kakashi to be there. "Why am I n- What happened to my clothes?" Kakashi could tell Sasuke was trying to hide the panic in his voice.

"I removed them. They were sucking your body warmth. Wait till they're dry." Kakashi answered plainly. He decided not to expound further and got back to his previous inquiry. "What happened to your eyes?"

"They put a seal." Sasuke answered just as plainly; he didn't expound either. "What's the situation?" Sasuke tried to calm himself down by taking long breaths.

"I found you in lying in the snow yesterday. We're still in the Land of Frost, half a day away from the underground fortress." Kakashi tried to keep it simple. "Frost shinobi are still searching for you but the weather is slowing them down."

"Who's the enemy?" Sasuke asked.

"The enemy?" Kakashi repeated.

"Who are we fighting?" Sasuke asked impatiently. "What's happening out there? Why didn't they come?"

Kakashi couldn't believe what he was seeing. He was wrong about Sasuke after all. The boy never intended to get revenge on the five Kage's. He indeed had a change of heart. He trusted the five Kage's so much that the only conclusion that he came up with for the five Kage's not coming was that they were fighting a war.

"In my pocket," Sasuke said when Kakashi didn't answer. "I remember stepping upon a carrier before I passed out. Can you read it? What does it say?"

Kakashi fetched Sasuke's pants. In one of the pockets, there was a small piece of paper. Kakashi paused in contemplation before answering.

"There hasn't been a sentence yet." Kakashi answered. In truth he had avoided his question. Kakashi just told him what was needed to be known at the moment. "Sorry to disappoint but there isn't an enemy. There was a blizzard. The carriers just didn't make it." Kakashi explained. "The Kage's need one more month to think about your sentence."

"You're lying." Sasuke's declared. It wasn't a speculation or an outburst of emotion. It was a declaration of fact.

"I'm sorry." Kakashi apologized with a laugh, scratching his cheeks, smiling behind his mask. "I thought I could get away with it."

"Don't treat me like a fool." Sasuke knuckles where turning white as he clutched at the fabric. "That small of paper couldn't have explained all of that. Tell me the truth Kakashi." Sasuke was clenching his teeth, controlling his impatience.

It was true. Itachi's life, the greatest lie of them all, was hidden from Sasuke. Sasuke lived his whole life believing a lie was the truth. He'd been in the dark for so long. He knew how foolish it must have felt - to be lied to.

Kakashi decided to tell him the whole truth now, no matter the consequence; Sasuke deserved this much.

"There hasn't been a meeting yet. They postponed it till next month. They're focusing on restoration of the villages and answering to the daimyo." Kakashi told him in a serious tone, unlike before. "The paper says _Intermittent_. It doesn't say anything else."

Kakashi waited as Sasuke internalized the information.

"Good then." Sasuke answered after a while. "I thought we were at war." He smiled for good measure.

That smile, Kakashi thought –

That was a lie too.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait. Was planning on updating this yesterday but I wrote a one-shot instead. (go check it out too!) Please review again! I like them so much!**

**-=oOo=-**

There was two ways in which Kakashi could do this.

One would require him to be cruel. He'd have to treat this incident as objective as possible. He'd need to address issues at its roots, with deadly accuracy and brutal veracity. This was the impassive method, one that avoids unnecessary emotional upsurge. Seriousness was the key and he was naturally inclined to this method when in combat. Sasuke would understand this callous approach. Both of them were familiar with this reasoning and efficiency was always Kakashi's strong points.

The other would require more effort for tact. This path was desirable because it was less confrontational, and friction is precarious. Subtlety was the key and no one but he could use it as effectively and without flaw. He's inclined to use this approach because, though it may involve emotion, it will most likely draw out Sasuke's feelings more than his. Sasuke may also prefer this approach as the involvement of pride is at the minimum.

Either way, control would always be in his hands. His words would still be measured and his actions, calculated. He could achieve the same results regardless of which method was used. Which is why he would leave it to Sasuke to choose the method for him.

"Taking account of the weather, from this distance and their movement patters, the Frost shinobi would take an hour or less to get here." Kakashi explained when Sasuke fell silent. "For now, take this." he hands out a piece of dried meat wrapped in cloth and flask of water. When he got no response he added "Digestion and utilization of food produces body heat." He let the food touch Sasuke's arm so that he knew where to reach.

If Sasuke still doesn't take it, he'd be forced to use the second, more effortful, method. Kakashi could see that Sasuke clenched his teeth. Indeed, no barrier was as impenetrable as Sasuke's pride.

"Eat up."

Kakashi shoved a huge piece of meat between Sasuke's lips. The boy coughs as meat intruded his otherwise clenched mouth. Kakashi then opens the flask of water and forcefully shoved it in the boy's hand. After that, he throws Sasuke's frost-free clothes in his head. "And get dressed."

There was a distinctive scowl in Sasuke's face as he chewed. He often made this expression when his sensei pulled out an Icha Icha during training or when he heard his excuses for being late. Kakashi involuntarily reminisced - it was a long time since he saw this face. Looking back, he and Sasuke have known each other for a quite a lengthy while.

"What's your plan?" Sasuke asked after putting on his clothes. Kakashi was surprised at how the tension between them lessened considerably. Sasuke's reception to Idiotic Kakashi was very excellent. Idiotic Kakashi was an introjection of the deceased Obito, who was very idiotic himself. He usually used Idiotic Kakashi to keep people at bay; who would want to get close with a pervert who reads porn in public in the middle of the day? It conveniently keeps his private life private. But right now, he'd use Idiotic Kakashi to get Sasuke responsive to his plans.

"First, make it appear that I was the one who broke you out." Kakashi answered. He'd like to scold Sasuke at how his rash escape made everything complicated. However, since he did it with good intents, he'd let that slip. "They'll be forced to take you back to the fortress unharmed." If Sasuke returned by himself, he would be labelled a threat and be killed instantly. This was the only way to remove that possibility. "As for me, they'd keep me alive until they know what my intentions are."

Kakashi could hear the gears in Sasuke's head turning. The only way to make Sasuke blameless for all of this was to transfer the crime to Kakashi. "Since you still have the Ice Release imprisonment seal, they'll be contented to lock you up in the room until the Five Kage's redo the seals." Without the blizzard, news would travel fast. Kakashi doubts if the five Kage's don't pause from their restoration to attend to Sasuke. Yeah, that should knock some sense to them.

"What happens to you?" Sasuke asked, half-curious, half-concerned.

Should he be touched that Sasuke was worried about him? "I'll manage." Kakashi smugly answered, letting lose his arrogant side. Being full of himself would annoy Sasuke but it would also be a relief for him, to know that Kakashi was confident in what he was about to do. Kakashi was hoping that he could hold out from the Frost Shinobi's torture techniques until the five Kage's arrive. Until he can explain the truth to the Hokage first, he'd have to keep away from their truth serums.

Sasuke scoffs to express his irritation. It must have been embarrassing to have your concern dismissed like that.

"Are you cold?" Kakashi asked the boy in the same half-curious, half-concerned tone. If Sasuke's blood was in their normal temperature, a blush should be in there somewhere. "Want to borrow my mask?" Kakashi jokingly offered, like he was asking an apology. "Though I did bring just the one."

Sasuke did actually blush at that. Kakashi could guess that a part of it was from the fact that he would willingly share with him a personal item. The other was from a mental image of his exposed face.

"It helps pre-warm the air you breathe," Kakashi continued. He tried to sound empirical yet genuinely concerned - to hide the fact that he was just doing this for the kicks. "A substantial amount of heat is being lost in exhaled warm air-"

"Whatever." Sasuke cut him off. The boy never did like his lectures so much. "I don't n-"

It was amusing how Sasuke's body froze at his surprise attack. Despite the apparent rejection, Kakashi still slipped the mask on the grouchy boy. It was fun to watch how Sasuke jerked his hands up when Kakashi fixed the mask on him, adjusting it so that it covers his nose and mouth. "Just give it back when the Frost Shinobi come."

Sasuke had worn it for a full five seconds. The delay came from the realization that Kakashi's voice was clearer – meaning he really did bring just one mask.

"I said I'm fine!" Sasuke lifted the mask off and threw it to the direction of Kakashi's voice. His blush was more terrible now. It seemed like the boy picked up his scent and decided he didn't like it.

"Okay." Kakashi picked up his mask and put it on. It seems like he's not out of touch just yet – he could still annoy the hell out of the kid. Idiotic Kakashi is on a roll.

"You ready?" Kakashi asked as he prepared for a series of hand seals. The first part of the plan was to get arrested. Rather than hunting them in the snow, why not invite the Frost Shinobi to their cozy little cave? He let out an immense amount of chakra to build a fire.

At least, for five minutes until they came, Sasuke would be warm.


	8. Chapter 8

Well, this is a pleasant surprise.

Using the Sharingan, Kakashi could sense a pride of summoned lynx not far from where they were. A dozen Frost Shinobi was also on their way – they must have been flying judging by their speed. Just where the scope of his Eye of Insight ends, there was familiar chakra that could only be one of the Kage's. Seeing that Kumogakure was nearest the Land of Frost, Kakashi figures it was the Raikage on reconnaissance duty.

Things are progressing as planned.

"They're building a perimeter." Kakashi explains to Sasuke. Even though the boy was temporarily blind, it doesn't mean that he had to be kept in the dark. "Must be waiting for the Raikage before they start. Either they're wary of me," Kakashi paused. "-which is highly unlikely. They must be afraid of you."

It was a good thing that Kakashi would be taking the blame for the break-out. They'd put Sasuke on death row if they knew he could undo the barrier seals even with the imprisonment technique. That power is meant to be feared; they have the right to be afraid.

Kakashi was about to ask how Sasuke managed to pull it off but it seems like Sasuke has questions too.

"Why are you doing this?" Sasuke asked him. By the manner he asked, it sounded like he really wanted to know, like it was bothering him this whole time. It was the Uchiha version of _Why are you helping me? _ Of course, Uchiha wouldn't openly admit that they needed help. They just _used_ people. If Kakashi was willing to be tortured for this, _why _was he doing it?

At the start of this journey, Kakashi told himself that he just wanted to visit Sasuke and see how he's doing. If the boy was being impatient because he was stood up by the five Kage's, then Kakashi would remind him why he was there in the first place. If the boy had lost all hope in the world, Kakashi would remind him that he was not alone.

That and… what was his ulterior motive in this again? Ah, so that he could feel better about himself. This was an act of selfishness after all. He's here because of principle. Abandoning your comrades was unforgivable. Hatake Sakumo didn't abandon his comrades and that was the reason why he took away his own life. He hanged his neck and left his eight-year-old son to fend for himself.

Kakashi inwardly cursed. He didn't need this memory now.

"I could just let you escape you know -" Kakashi dawdled, avoiding his question. If Sasuke wanted to live, Kakashi could sneak him out of the country. There should be some small village out there where he could find refuge. Even though he can't use chakra, even though he can't see, Sasuke could live a simple, long, countryside life.

Naturally, Kakashi was correct to assume that Sasuke doesn't want any of this. For one, Sasuke was here to redeem the Uchiha pride. Sasuke won't let the Uchiha name go down in history as traitors and bloody avengers. That was why he needed to come back to the fortress to receive his judgement. If he dies like a runaway, the Uchiha name would just have another notoriety attached to it. If he was to die, then it must be from the Kage's judgement. That was the only acceptable death – honourable, befitting of an Uchiha.

Kakashi would know because Hatake Sakumo didn't die of shame. The Hatake clan fell from grace at such a great height - the White Fang's reputation rivalled the legendary sannin after all. But he didn't die of shame - it was ritual suicide for redemption. His father believed that his death would wipe away his transgressions and restore the clan honor. The samurai called this seppuku. It was an act of bravery, not of weakness, not of shame.

At first, like the rest of the world, Kakashi didn't understand why his father did this. As a result, he became so obsessed on following the rules that his father abandoned. It was later, with the help of an Uchiha, when Kakashi realized what his father really died for. In that campfire, he told his father that he understood why he did that. He completely understood.

Kakashi inwardly cursed again. He really didn't need this memory now.

"But you said before that I should be grateful for the Uchiha for the Sharingan." Kakashi gave a leading answer. The truth was hard to handle.

"Well, I am." He decided to just give Sasuke an ego boost, to remind him that he doing this for the Uchiha name. Hopefully, that ends all questioning about his presence here.

Sasuke nods in understanding. Kakashi was here not to help him per se, but to help the Uchiha. It made sense, though Kakashi isn't the type to value pride against self-preservation. In case that death was his judgement, Kakashi was helping him to die to clear the Uchiha name.

The conversation didn't have any chance to go further. There was a loud noise outside and a bright flash of light. The stone cave exploded around them - the rubbles were so fine that the airstream blew most of them away. When the smoke cleared, the Raikage could be seen standing in the middle of the frozen lake. The lightning chakra that was enveloping him was so powerful that it liquefied the top layer of ice. Kakashi figures he used the Body Flicker Technique to get here. It was comparable to Konoha's Yellow Flash so not even the Sharingan could keep up with it.

The Raikage was expecting him. Had Tsunade blabbered about his defection already?

"What's the meaning of this, Hatake Kakashi?" Ei looked as mad as hell. He knew the man was easily aggravated but it could be worst – just imagine if Killer Bee came with him. Now that's a handful.

"I don't know what's gotten into you boy but I won't let you do as you please." Ei got into his nintaijutsu stance. He's not being lenient about the issue and Kakashi could tell this would not end without bloodshed. "Hand over Uchiha Sasuke or die!"

Now that's what he'd like to hear. Everyone already seems to think that he kidnapped Sasuke. Saves him the trouble of convincing them. How could everything go so well?

Kakashi could feel Sasuke was alarmed by the Raikage's warning. He thinks it's thoughtful of Sasuke to be troubled over him for this.

"I only want justice for Sasuke." Kakashi tells him. He meant it. Sasuke should be deemed a hero for his great sacrifices during the war. That was the true justice.

"Sensei…"

Kakashi was momentarily paralyzed when he heard Sasuke's soft voice. He doesn't remember his former student addressing him so fondly like that. Although Kakashi really did mean what he said, it was a strategic response so it shouldn't merit admiration from the boy.

Kakashi could hear a deafening "HE'S FATE LIES WITH THE KAGE'S, NOT YOURS!" before he feels the Raikage's Elbow Bolt hit his back in sonic speed.

-=oOo=-

**A/N: Thank you for reading!**


	9. Chapter 9

Death.

If used offensively, kamui is the perfect jutsu for it. Once cast, it could mean an instant kill. Kakashi only needs to look at the space between the eyes to send a part of the brain, the size of a nail, into another dimension. No other technique is as graceful in execution and swift in assassination.

Torture.

It is said to be more painful than death. Unlike gensutsu which uses illusions, Kamui can send a person to the other dimension alive and keep him there. There is no known counter for it. Even if the opponent uses space time techniques, he will not be able to teleport back into reality. Only kamui can send a person in and out. Since Obito cannot use his kamui anymore, one will get to stay there as long as Kakashi wants them to. Even if you manage to find a way not to starve, you would have to face eternity there forever.

Not only can Kakashi send people to the other dimension, he could send a whole area of it. He only needs to make a barrier on the space he wants to send away and everything in it will be sucked in – even light. He could also send himself on the other dimension. He's still far from reaching Obito's level of intangibility but having the ability to completely avoid an attack by instantly teleporting to another dimension is not a less great defense.

If his sharingan eye and superior intellect does not already make Kakashi a fearsome shinobi, then Kamui will. The irony is that Kakashi finds himself a godlike ability and yet no reason to use it.

He's not the type to kill his opponents at first sight. If there is anything that he has learned in the previous war, it is that there are greater victories than killing your opponents. The essence of the fight is not in the physical, it is more emotional and spiritual in nature. You fight because you believe in something and you want to protect something. Feelings are what fuels the combat and those who end the feelings of hatred and prejudice are the true victors. It is not enough to kill a person; you must first kill their ill beliefs and ideals or otherwise they will live on.

That is why, even with his face impaled on the ground, Kakashi refuses to do anything.

Ei held him down in place for two seconds, enough time for the Frost shinobi to retrieve Sasuke and get him away from the fight. At first, Kakashi wanted to believe that they would go easy on him until they found out about his intentions but obviously, the Raikage thought differently.

"WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS?!" Ei grabbed a fistful of air and lifted his head. He gave Kakashi another second to answer. When he didn't get any response, Ei lifted him off the ground and high into the air in a matter of milliseconds. That was the same moment that Kakashi realized his mistake.

There was no way he could defeat the Raikage without using Kamui.

Ei entered into the fight with the intent to kill - his Lightning Release armour was already activated. From the war, the Raikage knew Kakashi's feats and the use of kamui. If Ei spared a moment and let his guard down, that could mean his own undoing. It is actually not surprising that Ei would kill him right of the bat. With kamui in the equation, there is no other alternative.

It was a death match from the start.

In the blink of an eye, Kakashi was smashed head-first onto the ground. Lightning crept on the ground as the power of Raikage's body surged. It was so devastating that the ground caved in on itself, creating a giant crater in its wake. The icy lake was shattered into blocks of ice and the wind hurled on impact. The Frost shinobi couldn't help but step back.

The Raikage had speed blitzed him with a Liger Bomb.

That should have been the end – Kakashi dead, neck snapped in half. Just the massive amount of physical strength, not to mention the lightning speed, would shatter all bones on anyone's body. Unless Kakashi had Susanoo like Sasuke did during the attack on the summit, there was no possibility of survival. But even then, the Liger Bomb snapped Susanoo's ribs. That was how strong it was.

Indeed, the Liger Bomb was able to defeat Kakashi or rather, his Kage Bushin feint. The real Kakashi was hidden on top a tree in the frozen woods surrounding the lake. Kakashi's been there ever since he made a fire for Sasuke, just waiting for the perfect moment to strike. He knew he did not stand a chance in a one on one fight against Ei without the intent to kill. He will not survive without incurring permanent damage to both Ei and himself.

The plan was simple from the start: Lure the Frost shinobi. Get Sasuke to safety. Get arrested.

All he needs to do is warp the Raikage away from this distance. He would then surrender himself to the Frost Shinobi, using the Raikage in the kamui dimension as hostage. He would demand to see Tsunade and talk to the Hokage to clear things up from Sasuke. _Hand over Uchiha Sasuke or die _was the choice given to him and he would hand over Sasuke gladly. Dying was never the option he chose.

With his eyes fixed on the target, Kakashi prepares his attack. He would warp Ei and the area surrounding him. He was waiting for Sasuke to be out of out of the picture. With the boy in the Frost shinobi's custody, he could warp Ei so much easily.

Time always seem to stop when Kakashi performs Kamui. It only takes a millionth of a second to execute but Kakashi still fails.

The reason being Sasuke was blocking his view. He stood in front of the Raikage with his arms outstretched, as if protecting him. Even from this distance, Kakashi could see there was blood streaming down his closed eyes. It looks like Sasuke had forcefully opened them. He needed the chakra to free himself from the Frost shinobi's hold.

"A kage bushin?" Ei finally notices that his opponent was not the real Kakashi. It was a five-second fight and normal people would not have even known what happened. He turns to Sasuke who was now behind him, arms outstretched and facing the forest. "What is the meaning of this?"

"I may have placed my fate in the Kage's hands…" Sasuke answered the Raikage in ragged breaths, smoke passing through his lips with every word. He didn't budge from his stance and continued.

"…but Kakashi's fate is not in yours."

-=oOo=-

**A/N: Sasuke is so dramatic in my head. The way he talks and his lines, they're oh so dramatic for me! What do you think?**


	10. Chapter 10

"Move and you die."

Sasuke told the Raikage when the latter tried to move away. Needless to say, being in an open field with an opponent who can use long-range techniques is a huge disadvantage. Ei wasn't stupid enough to know his position. One wrong move and his head might be sent to another dimension.

"MOVE AND YOUR HEADS WILL GET WARPED!"

Sasuke shouted now. There were Frost shinobi who were slowly approaching them, trying to assist the Raikage and recapture SasuKe. Ei understood what Sasuke meant and signalled the Frost shinobi to stand down. He's confident that he could speed his way into the forest for cover but he was curious as to what this situation was all about. He expected that Kakashi would resist arrest. He was even betting on Kakashi and Sasuke working together but this - Sasuke _protecting him_ – was not expected.

"Get out of my way Uchiha Sas-"

"Stop talking and listen." Sasuke interrupted; he knew he didn't have much time. "I escaped on my own. Kakashi found me in half-dead in the snow and he rescued me. " Sasuke turned around. Even with his eyes closed he knew where to face. "He has no ill intentions. He is doing this _because of me_."

"How did you ESCAPE?" The Raikage's voice was rising. How does someone break the five Kage's barrier seals? Moreover, how does someone even break the Ice Release imprisonment technique to produce the chakra to break the barrier seals? If Sasuke had done it by himself, if he had broken out of the prison on his own volition, that would make him an outlaw. As such, he can no longer be protected by the law of the land. He has withdrawn his right to fair trial. For this, death was the only thing waiting for him.

"If there should be death here today," Sasuke ignored him. "Let it be mine."

Sasuke never intended for anyone to get hurt. He felt like such a fool for trusting the world again. He actually believed that the reason for the Kage's absence was they were fighting an enemy. He even escaped to _help_ them. He felt like such a fool for almost dying in the process and have his former sensei save him. He could guess that Kakashi was here because he didn't trust him enough to do the right thing. What hurt the most is that Kakashi was right not to trust him.

"Let it be my judgement."

He deserved to die. What made him think that he deserved to live? What made him think that a good deed could erase a million bad ones? If ever he does get a chance to live, what life could that be? If you could call it living? Everything he had – Itachi, his brother who loved him – was gone. What was waiting for him there?

"I…"

He deserved it.

"…embrace death."

This was the one thing Kakashi feared. For Sasuke to lose hope, that was Kakashi's defeat. What he will do next would be an afterthought. He might lose hope and kill himself. He might lose hope and kill others. But for Sasuke to lose hope in humanity, to lose hope in his comrades, to lose all hope for living, that was Kakashi's defeat.

Seeing Sasuke now, begging for his own death, it broke his heart. What kind of sick and cruel world was this to turn a boy into such utter despair?

Kakashi has seen death, exposed to it every day, lived with it, bathed and thrived in it, since he was little. That is the reason for his nonchalant attitude towards life and death. His heart had hardened and his soul was bitter. But he had died once and was given another chance at life. There is still something that he had to do, something good that he might contribute to the world so he was brought back. He had purpose still and for Sasuke to think that he had none, that was what broke Kakashi's heart.

Kakashi would understand. He once told Sasuke that the person he loved most does not exist, that those people have already been killed. His father, his teacher, his teammates, all of them. Everyone he loved was dead for a very long time. He had been alone for so many years; he knew what loneliness feels like. He was a lone wolf; growing up alone taught him how to handle everything by himself.

Kakashi has blamed himself for everything too and up to now he still believes for this to be true. That is why visits their graves, talking to them and remembering them. Their keepsakes – Sakumo's blade, Obito's sharingan, Rin's med kit, Minato's kunai – remind Kakashi that he is never truly alone despite having lost the people he loves.

All these thoughts were racing in Kakashi's mind as he sped towards Sasuke and Ei. He needed to execute the plan despite all the glitches. Sasuke was asking for death and Ei might be willing to give it to him. Whatever Ei or Sasuke was planning to do, Kakashi won't let them.

In a matter of seconds, Kakashi was face-to-face with the Raikage. Ei was charging at him at full-speed, ready to smash him to the ground as soon as he gets hold of him. The Raikage even got hold of his collar and -

"Kamui!"

Almost instantly acting on reflex, Kakashi uses kamui on the space in front of him, successfully warping the Raikage into another dimension. He used the Raikage's speed against him; he was so fast that he ran towards the wormhole.

Kakashi didn't linger and immediately went to Sasuke.

"If you want the Raikage back, tell Tsunade to come see me at the Underground Fortress." Kakashi announced to the Frost shinobi when he arrived at the clearing. At the sight of him, the Frost shinobi held their ground. At any other situation, a shinobi would attack regardless of how strong the opponent was. However, since his hostage was the Raikage, they were left with no choice but to yeild.

"And get away from Sasuke."

Kakashi hurried to get to Sasuke's side. Some of the Frost shinobi had put chakra chains all around his body. From what it looks like, Sasuke had used what strength he had left to forcefully open his eyes. That would explain the why there was blood mixed with tears in Sasuke's room back at the fortress. He had forcefully opened them too back then.

"Sensei…" Sasuke felt his presence.

"Release!" Kakashi kneeled down to remove all the chakra chains around him. He was supposed to scold the boy, shout _That was dangerous! What do you think you are doing?_ or _You shouldn't have done that! How can you be so reckless?_ but he couldn't, not when Sasuke called to him in that soft, tender voice. He wanted to be disappointed at the boy but he couldn't, not when Kakashi heard everything that Sasuke said to the Raikage. All he could do was to scoop him up, lay him at his lap and ask –

"Are you alright?"

Sasuke had managed to surprise Kakashi again today when Sasuke sat up slightly, grabbed a fistful of his shirt and sorrowfully say "I'm sorry" before collapsing against his chest.


	11. Chapter 11

Kakashi uses kamui to warp a bagful of food and a jug of water into the other dimension. Though Tsunade might show up anytime soon, he didn't want his hostage to starve to death, or get cranky at the least.

They were back in the mountains, in Sasuke's old room in the underground fortress. Now that Kakashi could freely use his chakra, travelling in rough weather wasn't a challenge anymore. His only concern for the past hour was how not to drop the boy he was carrying. Sasuke passed out and since he still had that nasty seal, Kakashi had to use traditional techniques to take care of him.

Sasuke had collapsed because of a fever. The fluctuating temperatures, physical exhaustion and mental stress were taking its toll on his body. It would've been better if he could give Sasuke a bath, but Kakashi settled on dabbing a soaked cloth unto him. He made sure the room was cool – not cold, but comfortable enough to help reduce the fever. As Sasuke's clothes were already light, Kakashi just gave him a thin blanket.

Kakashi had also given Sasuke medicine. He was surprised there were aspirin in Rin's med kit. Because he knew Rin's capabilities, Kakashi had high regard for medical shinobi and did not underestimate their skills. He has lost count at how many times she, and her med kit, had saved him and every time he's reminded, Kakashi wishes he had saved Rin too.

Instead of killing her.

Kakashi was well aware that he did not need to feel responsible for her death. She was kidnapped by the Kiri shinobi and made a jinchuriki, hoping that her rescuers will take her back to the village. If they had succeeded, the tailed-beast in her would have wreaked havoc there. To protect Konoha, Rin asked Kakashi to kill her. Her death would mean the safety of the village. As a true and loyal shinobi, Rin chose to die; that was her Will of Fire.

Kakashi understood her reasons - Kakashi too would sacrifice his life for the village. However, he promised Obito to protect Rin with his life. Kakashi was not one to go back on his word so he refused her offer.

Kakashi was well aware that he did not need to feel responsible for her death. However, how could you not feel responsible when it's your hand that's impaling her heart? Is it not Chidori, his first original technique that drove a hole in Rin's chest? Is it not his shortcoming that he didn't notice she was anticipating his attack? Isn't it he that benefits from the Mangekyou Sharingan that activated in her death?

Peace indeed was a wonderful thing - wonderful enough that it was worth the deaths of thousands of shinobi and the suffering that followed. What Kakashi cannot accept is the reason why death should be a precursor to peace. Should there always be a sacrifice? Did peace always entail such a high price?

"Nii-san…"

A soft voice brings him back to the present. Kakashi looked over his shoulder to find Sasuke muttering again in his sleep. Occasionally, Sasuke's face would twist in an image of pain and he'd turn his head from side to side. His feet would dig into the mattress and his fingers would twitch.

It is not surprising if Sasuke had nightmares. It may be due to the constant darkness that Sasuke cannot distinguish between dream and reality. Kakashi would know; he's constantly haunted by them, even while he was awake. They never leave him and even now, he could hear the chirping of a thousand birds consuming Rin's heartbeat.

"Sensei…"

Kakashi walked over the bed. It appears Rin's aspirins were still very potent after all these years. Kakashi meant to make tea but he only managed to make hot water. He poured Sasuke a cup.

"You slept well?" Idiotic Kakashi inquired, expecting a smart-ass retort.

There was none.

Kakashi stood there with a cup of hot water in hand, stupefied. Sasuke was not awake; the boy was calling for him in his dreams.

Kakashi puts down the cup and sits at the foot of the bed. He studies Sasuke's face. He knew too well the agony he's going through and the cure for it. What Sasuke needed was for someone to hold his body near. What Sasuke needed was someone to hold his hands tight. What Sasuke needed was someone close while he fights his nightmares.

Kakashi wasn't that someone.

He remained seated at the foot of the bed. The least Kakashi could do was to lay a hand on Sasuke's ankle, the one the short blanket allowed to expose. He pats it lightly, gently squeezing to let Sasuke know that there was someone there, not just the nightmares.

Why must this happen again? Why do people want to die in front of him? Why do people want Kakashi to kill them? Yes, he was a shinobi. Yes, he knows his duties. Yes, he's willing to die. Yes, he's willing to kill. But why?

Why was he desperately trying to save a life again? Why does he want to protect this boy? Sasuke wasn't Rin. Did he think he'd be saving Rin if he saves this boy? If he was able to protect Sasuke this time, would that be absolution for his inability to protect Rin then? Sasuke was ready to die too, just as Rin was. Sasuke was asking for death too, just as Rin was. Why can't Kakashi just let Sasuke do it?

Kakashi studies Sasuke's face again. Surprisingly, the physical contact seemed to have a calming effect on the boy. More surprisingly, Kakashi finds himself calming down too. He did not notice that his insides were burning in rage. He wasn't aware that his thoughts have gone to that dark place again.

"I'm… sorry…" Sasuke said in breaths.

Kakashi gripped Sasuke's ankles tight. It doesn't matter anymore. Everything was in the past now. He doesn't have to protect Rin any longer. He has to focus on the things in front of him. He may have lost everything in the past. He may have been alone for very long, but not anymore. He might not be able to protect Sasuke, or save him, but he will try.

Kakashi had been living in a nightmare too. But he won't wait until Sasuke is lost before he wakes up. Sasuke's been calling for his sensei. He might be asking for death but deep inside Sasuke was desperately trying to live. There was still hope in him – Kakashi is not defeated yet.

"…Sensei..."

Now Kakashi understood why Sasuke had been calling him sensei all this time. He was Sasuke's sensei. He might not be Sasuke's father. He might not be his brother. He might not be an Uchiha and he has no desire to become one. He was Sasuke's teacher. Sasuke has been looking up to him as a sensei and what does he see?

Suffering.

The reason why Sasuke was suffering now was because that's what Kakashi has been doing. Sasuke is nothing but a good student; whatever he sees, he just follows. Kakashi is constantly haunted by his past and as his student, Sasuke sees him suffering and just does the same.

Kakashi thinks maybe it's time for him to live up to the title. He continues to pat Sasuke's ankles.

"I'm sorry too."


	12. Chapter 12

Chakra signatures.

After an hour of waiting, Tsunade has arrived. Kakashi could feel her chakra sharply descending from the fortress' entrance. She brought an odd team for bodyguards too. It seems like Naruto has volunteered his way here; the boy was very sensitive to issues regarding Sasuke after all. Kakashi could also sense Sakura's presence; either she presented herself or Tsunade asked her disciple to come. That should be the same case with Gai – though the Hokage most probably asked one of his friends to talk some sense into him. To complete the four-man team, Aoba of the Intelligence Division was also present.

Kakashi can expect mind-reading very soon.

Though intrusive, he actually favoured their chosen modus. Kakashi had full confidence that Aoba could extract all relevant intel needed from him. Kakashi thought the time has come for him to showcase his oratory skills but unfortunately, this was not the day.

Pakkun would be a great guard dog for Sasuke but Kakashi settled for a bushin who can continue patting the boy's ankles. Careful not to wake Sasuke, Kakashi exited the room and waited for the Hokage in the lobby near the staircase. The last Kakashi saw of her, Tsunade was in her office, with a plea in her eyes that betrayed their glare. She had warned her to not go here and Kakashi disobeyed.

"KA-KA-SHI."

Each syllable was spoken with restrained animosity. Tsunade comes into his view, puffing angry breaths and clenched fists shaking in anger. Her hair and clothes were slightly dishevelled, suggesting a hasty departure and a rough journey. Though Kakashi could also feel hostility from the others, he decided to focus his eyes on Tsunade's.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING KAKASHI-SENSEI?!" Naruto stepped in front of Tsunade all of a sudden, standing between them. Naruto was being his loud and brash self. "DON'T YOU REMEMBER WHAT SASUKE TOLD US?! DID YOU FORGET WHY HE'S HERE?! DOESN'T HIS SACRIFICE MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU?!"

"Don't, Sakura." Kakashi extended an arm to block the corridor leading to Sasuke's room. Sakura had glanced at the hallway; Kakashi could tell what she was thinking. "Though I would like for you to help with his fever-" Kakashi let the info slip. "No one but the five Kage's are allowed to see Sasuke." He said with the most grievous of faces.

This was no time for levity. Kakashi is serious now, probably more serious than he's ever been in his life. Ever since he left the village five days ago, he is no longer a shinobi of the Leaf. He is here as Hatake Kakashi and he's fighting for his personal beliefs. Right now, he is fighting for Sasuke.

"Go." The Hokage gave Sakura permission. Kakashi lowered his arms to let Sakura pass. Naruto became worried at the mention of fever and he too ran to see Sasuke. Kakashi didn't let it show but his heart was bursting with joy. He's always been so proud of Team Seven. He may have been a failure as a sensei but Team Seven always had what Kakashi wanted for them to learn – comradeship and teamwork.

Kakashi expressed his happiness with a humourless smile.

"Now that my demands have been met," Kakashi stepped back. The action elicited an inimical reaction from Gai and Aoba. They immediately went on guard. "You can have the Raikage bac-"

"Wait." Tsunade cut him off. Though she didn't want to prolong Ei's suffering in the kamui dimension, having the hot-headed Raikage reappear at once would be detrimental to the situation. She had to have a grasp of the situation first.

"I want to hear what you have to say." Though Tsunade can guess his answer, the Hokage wanted to hear it come from his mouth. She feels responsible for Kakashi's actions. Though Kakashi was acting on his own accord, Tsunade regrets not being able to stop him when she had the chance. "I _trusted_ you." It hurt to say but she didn't want to regret trusting Kakashi.

"Sasuke trusted _you_." Kakashi put an unbelievable amount of stress in the third word. "Since no one came for him, Sasuke thought we were busy fighting a war." Kakashi made sure they could hear the indignation in his voice. "He _cried blood_ to break the barrier." His brows furrowed. "He never once thought that you _abandoned_ him." His fist uncharacteristically shakes. "Sasuke almost died wanting to help _you_."

Kakashi gave them time to process the information. Although Gai and Aoba didn't change their stance, their facial expressions conveyed a look of utter disbelief.

Tsunade too couldn't hide her scepticism. It wasn't hard for Kakashi to assume what the Hokage was thinking. It would be the same question the Raikage asked Sasuke when he first heard the story. There were just too many things amiss with that account. How could Sasuke have escaped the five Kage's barrier? Furthermore, what could he have done with an Ice Release imprisonment technique sealing his chakra?

"If you do not believe me,"

To Tsunade's surprise, Kakashi knelt down on one knee. There were so many things Kakashi wanted to convey with this action. Even though he was being selfish, he has never lost respect to the Hokage and his love for Konohagakure. Kakashi wanted for them to know that he has no ill intentions and that he truly believes he is doing the right thing. Kakashi wanted them to feel his sincerity, his resolution, his fervour and earnestness. He wanted to ask for forgiveness, for understanding and most of all, for acceptance. Kakashi would like for them to know that he is surrendering and that he is ready for the consequences.

"- you may see for yourself."

Kakashi lowered his head. For the first time, Kakashi finds himself opening his heart. He had renounced all sense of pride, putting aside his arrogance and guises. Right now, he is baring his soul and laying down his heart, offering everything for the taking.

No games. No deception. No manipulation.

For once, he broke the façade. This wasn't a strategy. Not a ploy to gain their trust. Not a tactic to advance his plans. There was no trick. There was no trap. There's nothing hidden beneath the underneath. Nothing concealed, nothing obscured, nothing untrue.

This was his heart.

Kakashi feels a palm touch his head. With his eyes closed, he could only hear Aoba's feet landing in the space in front of him. He feels Gai's hands reach for his own, bounding them behind his back, holding him firm and restricting his movements.

"Aoba." Tsunade called out in a calm voice. It was the signal to start the extraction.

Kakashi forced himself to relax. Mind-reading did not hurt but it will leave you vulnerable. He knows a few counters and thanks to the sharingan, he is immune to most genjutsu. Today however, Kakashi will remove the mental blocks in his memories and submit his mind freely. He would not fight it and would let the subconscious take over.

Without warning, with a vision of white, his mind's invasion began.

**-=oOo=-**

**A/N: I don't feel good. This may be the weakest chapter. I want to cry *sniff* *sniff* *tears* I need a hug**


	13. Chapter 13

Gai tightens his hold on Kakashi as he falls on both knees, unconscious.

Mind reading did not hurt, at least physically. Unlike genjutsu that invades the mind and creates visions designed to torture the victim into madness, as the name implies, mind reading allows one to simply read another's mind.

However, to say that the mind is simple would be incorrect. The mind is complex – an intricate labyrinth of memories, thoughts and emotions. If the mind was a book, it would have locks - not just one but many. Not very easy to open, nor quick, unless you have the keys and the knowledge to which lock it goes to. At the chance that it does open, one has to flip through thousands of pages – some dilapidated, some shredded, some made of paper, cloth or wood. Some letters are written with invisible ink, words are in glyphs, sentences in ciphers. Some pictures are drawn literally, some symbolic, some in abstract.

For the sake of his resolve, Kakashi willingly opened his mind for Aoba to delve into. It was not an easy decision, especially for Kakashi who prefers a life behind a mask. The mind can be tricky yet it can be very honest too. He had shared memories in the past, especially in ANBU where important intel needed to be disseminated quickly. However, not once had he opened his mind to share his emotions and thoughts, his _true _feelings.

_"I'm sorry…"_

_"I'm a failure…"_

_"I am alone…"_

In Kakashi's mind there were voices, whispers carried by the wind, echo after echo. His mind tells him there is a stranger; that strong feeling of being watched should not be ignored. It tells him to hide because his personal space has been invaded. The foreign object is unwanted and thus should be expelled. But there is nowhere else to disappear, even inside his own head. He is exposed. He needs to wake up and stop this.

_"Sensei…"_

_"Nii-san…"_

In an instant, images of Sasuke fill his mind. A bead of sweat that fell from his forehead as he lay in the bed. Fingers grasping his shirt as they ran through the frozen woods. A bloody tear staining his cheeks as he stood between him and the Raikage. A pink blush on his fair face as he threw the mask. A crooked smile. A smoky breath.

The memories flow backwards, in fast rewind, yet slowing down when Sasuke was in the frame. However, there was something very curious in his memories.

He was patting Sasuke's ankles, helping him to sleep. He hears footsteps, light and hurried. He erases his presence and stands at the darkest corner of the room. In a while, Naruto and Sakura appear in the doorway with worried faces.

"Sasuke!" Sakura calls out as she sees her friend lying on the bed.

"What the-?" Naruto runs to Sasuke at once and loomed over him on the side of the bed. With the help of a small candle in the nightstand, he notices a seal wound all over his body.

"He has a fever." Sakura almost shoves Naruto away as she takes his temperature with a hand to his forehead.

"STOP!" Naruto yelled when he senses Sakura building up chakra in her arms. "You'll hurt him!" He says hurriedly. "You can't use chakra on him." Naruto lifts up Sasuke's shirt to let her see. "He'll die."

Sakura too stares at the seal. There was fear in her face. Even if she was relieved that Naruto had stopped him, it did not show in her face. Sasuke was taken here immediately after the war. The wounds Sasuke sustained from fighting haven't even healed yet. From her knowledge, he hasn't received any kind of treatment either. On top of that, he can't use chakra now?

"Katsuyu…?" Sakura expectantly looks at Naruto but the boy just closed his eyes and shook his head. The slug summons would not make any difference.

At that moment, Sasuke grunts and shifts in his bed. It seemed like Naruto's yelling had woken him.

Sakura stared for a while, watching Sasuke sit up from the bed. She wonders why Sasuke wasn't opening his eyes. "No, you need rest!" She snaps from her daze and hurries to Sasuke's side.

"Sakura?" Sasuke inquires, turning his face to the sound of Sakura's voice.

"Sasuke, your eyes…" Naruto just stood in the middle of the room in shock. Had Sasuke gone blind? Did the Kage's take Itachi's eyes from him?

"Naruto?" Sasuke now turns his head to the sound of Naruto's voice. "What are you doing here?" He tried to say in a scornful manner but his weak breath gave it away.

"Sasuke!" Sakura was alarmed by the boy's efforts to push her aside. Sasuke was trying to get out of bed. Sakura couldn't believe how weak Sasuke has become. If she as much as playfully shove him back to bed, she would crush his lungs.

"The Raikage?" Sasuke said with such impatience you would think he was back to normal. "What day is it? What happened?" Sasuke fisted the sheets. "Kakashi…" His angry face had traces of worry. "Where is he?"

Sakura uses light force to keep Sasuke on the bed. Being in such a weak state, Sasuke could only sit upright at the edge of the bed with Sakura supporting him. "You need to go res-"

"TELL ME WHAT'S HAPPENING!" Sasuke almost chokes as the words get tangled in coughs.

"Sasuke…" Naruto looks at Sasuke's face, feeling nostalgic seeing his rough attitude. Weak or strong, Sasuke will always be Sasuke.

"Kakashi-sensei still has the Raikage hostage." Naruto speaks up. "The old lady is with sensei now." Just the mention of Kakashi angers Naruto. How could their sensei do this to Sasuke? Doesn't Kakashi remember the promise they made a month ago? To trust Sasuke and not chase after him anymore? Doesn't Kakashi believe that Sasuke would choose to come back on his own?

"I hope she knocks some sense into him." Naruto added. What about all the crap on not abandoning your comrades? What about all that bullshit on camaraderie and teamwork? Had their sensei forgotten about that? "He deserves a beating."

It was after those words, when Sasuke had grabbed a kunai from Sakura's pocket, pointing it at his own neck, piercing the skin deep enough so that blood would materialize.

At that moment, Naruto could have gone into bijuu mode. He could have used speed to grab the kunai away from him but he didn't. The sheer surprise of the action had rendered Naruto immobile.

Sakura too was stunned. She had thought that Sasuke had finally listened to her requests. It turns out, Sasuke was only allowing her to support him to get closer to the kunai.

"No one deserves death more than I do." Sasuke asks them to listen with the threat to take his own life. "I escaped on my own. Kakashi had nothing to do with it." Sasuke stood up with weak knees. "No one else should die for me." A memory of Itachi was seemingly running through his mind. "All this pain shall end with my death."

He won't heal – the thought ran through Sakura's mind as she saw the blood run down his neck. If Sasuke were to inflict a lethal injury to himself, there was no way that she could heal his wound.

The same thought snapped Naruto from his stupor and he did not hesitate to dash forward and grab the kunai from Sasuke's hands. Naruto was betting he would be faster than Sasuke's reflexes since the other cannot use sharingan and chakra.

The moment Naruto leapt forward the reel stopped.

It was the same moment Kakashi realized that the bushin's memories had assimilated with his own.


	14. Chapter 14

Another flash of white.

Then darkness.

Aoba steps back as Kakashi suddenly wakes. In the past, there were also others who managed to disrupt Aoba from his extraction. Kisame snapped himself awake by biting his own tongue, after which he killed himself by having his shark summons eat his body. Kabuto prevented it by using the Orochimaru-Style body replacement technique, shedding his captured self and regurgitating a new body. This time, Kakashi slips through Aoba's hold by sheer mind power. Kakashi's mind seemed to have a mind of its own and activated the Sharingan by itself. In a matter of milliseconds, mental blocks have been placed in Kakashi's mind once again.

When Kakashi came to, Sakura's voice was cutting through the air. It confirmed that something dangerous was happening at Sasuke's room.

Kakashi still had enough presence of mind to think that the others would assume Sakura's scream was the cause of the interruption. If luck was a skill, Kakashi had always been proficient at it. It was lucky that Sakura's scream was timed to his awakening. That single moment when Tsunade, Guy and Aoba were collectively distracted gave Kakashi the chance to activate the Mangekyou and use kamui to warp the Raikage back to the real world. Kakashi in turn uses kamui on himself and teleports to the other dimension.

By creating a barrier in the real world, in the exact spot where the bushin disappeared, Kakashi uses kamui again and transports himself to Sasuke's room. The sight that greeted him was a new dreadful memory, a new sinking feeling, a new fearful thought to add to his lifetime of horrors.

Naruto had successfully stopped the kunai from piercing Sasuke's neck. Blood gushed out of Naruto's hands as the sharp blade cut his palm yet he still held on to it. The blood dripped to the floor, steady as the ticking of a clock.

"This war has not ended yet." Sasuke whispers to Naruto in between his teeth. "Once my judgment has passed, there will be the dawn of a new era but you will not be Hokage yet." He tries to hold his ground as Naruto's hold on the kunai tightens. "Do you know why Naruto?"

Naruto still holds on to the sharp blade. He does not even notice the pain in his hands and just stares at Sasuke's screened eyes.

"You do not know the meaning of sacrifice." Sasuke said with an air of resentment. "You're still a child hoping and dreaming of peace without the costs." Sasuke's voice had gone coarse but he tried to speak louder to get his feelings across. "You cannot save everybody Naruto. If you cannot sacrifice others, you cannot lead the village. If you cannot sacrifice one shinobi, you cannot protect anyone."

The droplets of Naruto's blood have turned into a puddle on the floor. The sounds reached Sasuke's ears and it put a smile in his face.

"You have already surpassed the previous Hokages and with my sacrifice -"

The moment Kakashi saw Sasuke's lips curve, everything started to slow down. Kakashi could see Sasuke's eyelashes flutter open, revealing his crimson eyes and Naruto's reflection. He could even see the tears of blood drip to the puddle on the floor before it even happened. He feels chakra gathering in Sasuke's fingers as he wrapped them around Naruto's hand with the kunai, ready to stab the sharp blade to his own neck.

"CLAIM THE TITLE FOR YOUR OWN!"

Sasuke was quicker than Naruto's reflexes. Yet, it was not as quick as Kakashi's eyesight.

The instant Kakashi saw that smile he knew. Sasuke was planning to die in the hands of Naruto. He was happy to end his life in the hands of his one and only true rival and friend.

Before the kunai could pierce his throat, Kakashi uses kamui to send Sasuke into the other dimension. Kakashi did not stick around to see Naruto and Sakura's reaction and uses kamui on himself.

Kakashi's landing on the kamui dimension was shaky. He had been spamming the technique one after another and it was draining his chakra reserves. After the war, Kakashi had trained to use kamui in rapid succession while maintaining absolute precision. He had also learned their limits then.

Kakashi looks up and finds Sasuke not far from him. The boy was on both knees, sitting on his feet, hands lifelessly hanging on his sides. His face was turned upwards – the bloody tears dripping down from the side of his eyes. The way his head fell backwards to look at the missing sky reminded Kakashi of a fallen angel.

"Sasuke!" Kakashi calls out as he dragged himself at the boy's side.

Kakashi notices how Sasuke's face changed when he recognized his voice. Instead of relief, there was agony.

"You…" Sasuke's weak voice barely reached Kakashi's ears "…are not supposed to be dead."

"I'm sorry Sasuke," Kakashi kneeled in front of the unseeing boy. "This is neither heaven nor hell." He said softly to match the timbre of his whisper.

"I thought so." Sasuke sighed feebly, the silence overpowering his voice. "You are cruel, Kakashi." As soon as the name left the boy's lips, Sasuke fell forward into Kakashi's arms. Once again, Kakashi finds Sasuke dangling in the razor thin line separating life and death.

"Your fate is no longer in your hands." Kakashi let Sasuke rest his head on his chest - the boy didn't have the strength to move anymore. "Nor is it in mine." Kakashi just put a hand on his shoulder to support him. "It's in the Kage's hands now, where you have placed it."

Sasuke's body shook gently in his hold. He was either convulsing or laughing.

"How noble…" Sasuke was barely moving his lips from the lack of strength. "You have served the sharingan well…" Both breath and words flow unsteadily from his mouth. "You would have made a fine Uchiha..."

Sasuke's words made Kakashi see the compendium of his mistakes. When he left Konoha five days ago, all he wanted was for Sasuke to know that he was not alone in this. Yet here he was in front of the boy he sought, providing no comfort and assurance in spite of his presence.

Sasuke was suffering the most painful form of loneliness – feeling alone despite being in a crowd. How could Kakashi make Sasuke understand that he is not alone in this?

Kakashi scooped Sasuke's body and embraced it gently yet strongly at the same time, softly yet firmly, tenderly yet tight. For the second time he let Sasuke's head rest between his shoulder and neck, placing a hand at the back of Sasuke's head with care and caution, with nearness and distance, with love and restraint.

"Foolish…" The words slip from Kakashi's mouth, not caring if Sasuke's consciousness had left or not to hear it. Kakashi might have said that he is doing this because he is grateful for the sharingan. He might have said that he is here to help Sasuke clear the clan's name.

If only Sasuke will realize that Kakashi was here not only for the name of Uchiha -

"I am here for you…"

But also for the name that followed it.

"…Sasuke."


	15. Chapter 15

Trembling hands defied Sasuke's powerlessness as they fisted the fabric of Kakashi's shirt.

Kakashi heaved a sigh. If only hugs and pledges would make Sasuke understand. Regrettably, being physically near wasn't enough to make Sasuke _feel_ that he is not alone. Kakashi had thought that his mere presence would be of some comfort, that his words would give even a little assurance, but he was completely wrong. How foolish was he to think that Sasuke held him at such high regard?

Inadequate, Kakashi thought of himself. Sasuke never needed him from the beginning. To Sasuke, their connection wasn't as deep as Kakashi imagined and their relationship means nothing at all. Even now, Sasuke chooses to push him away. Above else, he was an Uchiha and they have their pride. Sasuke would not accept pity, nor be consoled by those who are unworthy in his eyes. To Sasuke, having him close was insulting.

It was disgusting.

Kakashi loosens his hold. The realization did not hurt as much as Kakashi hoped it would. In fact, it was better that way. Kakashi preferred to be Sasuke's guardian from the shadows. It would be best that Naruto and Sakura serve as Sasuke's guiding light. The fact that Sasuke cared enough for Naruto's personal growth to the point of sacrificing his life to make the future Hokage stronger was enough proof that he valued his relationship with Naruto above his life.

While Kakashi untangles himself from Sasuke, he receives an unexpected reaction. Sasuke held on to him more tightly, much like what he did when Kakashi re-warmed him at that frozen cave. The boy wasn't pushing him away, he was pulling him _closer_.

"Your scent…" Kakashi feels Sasuke's breath in his neck through the fabric of his mask. "…reminds me of him…"

Kakashi was robbed of his speech. Sasuke could surprise him in many ways – breaking out of his solitary confinements, using himself as a shield for the Raikage, attempting suicide the moment he sees Naruto and now this. He always manages to disrupt Kakashi's plans although Sasuke's thought patterns, emotional behaviors, inhibitions and inclinations were incorporated in every one of them. Where had he gone wrong?

Kakashi regains his bearings and lets Sasuke decide their proximity. It doesn't take a genius to guess who Sasuke was referring to but since the boy had proved to be unpredictable, Kakashi had to ask.

"Is it," Kakashi paused, thinking twice about saying the name in a familiar manner. "Itachi?"

The mere mention of his brother's name sent Sasuke into shaky sobs. He held on to Kakashi's shirt for life and buried his face on his shoulder, away from Kakashi's sight, hiding from Kakashi's criticisms. Kakashi didn't blame him though. More than anyone else, Kakashi has religiously observed the 25th rule of the Shinobi Code:

A shinobi must never show his tears.

Kakashi did not know if this was the first time that Sasuke wept for Itachi. Yet something tells him that this was the first time that Sasuke confided his tears with anyone. By the way the tears soaked in his shoulders, by the way the whimpers insisted and the way the trembling intensified, Kakashi could feel the burden of Sasuke's emotions.

It was heavy.

Too heavy in fact, that Kakashi doubts if he can carry any. His life is already filled with so much pain that there is no room for any more. Then again, had he promised to Sasuke that he'll be a better sensei? If he didn't have any more room in his heart, shouldn't he cast aside the pain that resides so he could carry the pain of others?

If only it was so easy.

They were shinobi after all. In the war, Naruto reminded him what a true shinobi really is – he is one who endures. He is the one who forbears his own existence. It revolves around the concept of hiding and elusion. It is stealth that makes the espionage and sabotage possible. Is concealment of self not the true reason why kage bushins and log substitutions are needed? Everything a shinobi does is to ensure that the opponent does not know of his existence. He distracts with movements and he deceives with illusions. An invincible shinobi is an invisible shinobi.

That is why it is forbidden to show your feelings. You must keep it hidden. You must endure. A display of emotion is tantamount to a footprint in the ground, a lingering scent, a loud lungful of air. It is a sign of weakness and a precursor to defeat. To a shinobi, defeat is unacceptable.

Kakashi considers himself a good shinobi. Humility aside, he is better than most. That said, when Kakashi left Konohagakure he told himself he was no longer a shinobi of the Leaf. He did not know then that this quest would require him to discard his shinobi self entirely. However, with all seriousness, he also told himself that he was here as Hatake Kakashi. Not as Copy-Nin Kakashi or Kakashi of the Sharingan, but just as Hatake Kakashi.

Even so, Kakashi didn't know if it would help Sasuke at all. Would Hatake Kakashi be enough to save him?

"Haa…" Sasuke struggles to breathe. "Hurts…" He pants to Kakashi's covered neck, as if giving a reason for digging his fingernails at Kakashi's shoulders, an excuse for shamefully burying himself deeper into Kakashi's embrace. "Haa…"

"I'm sorry…" Kakashi ran his hands on the boy's back in an attempt to soothe his pains. He didn't know why he was hesitating. Why was he thinking of himself at a time like this? It wasn't him that was hurting; the boy in his arms was. In front of him was no shinobi either. This was Uchiha Sasuke and he was baring his long concealed existence. An existence of perpetual hurting and unending pain.

"…that I remind you of him."

How ironic. Even with the desire to comfort, all Kakashi could give Sasuke was more suffering. How contemptible. Just by existing Kakashi was able to inflict pain on Sasuke. It was illogical how his scent could resemble Itachi's. If it was the warmth - the touch of a person who cared and loved – Kakashi would understand. But his scent? What could Sasuke mean?

Could it be the scent of blood? The blood of more than a thousand people who died at his hands? The scent of blood that permeates the skin, soaking the flesh and bones and staining the soul? Is it this scent that no bathwater could remove, no incense could ease, no fragrant perfume could mask? The scent that forever will taint your own and become one with yours?

It must be the scent of blood.

Kakashi flinched, feeling Sasuke's teeth scrape the flesh in his shoulder. Sasuke was biting down hard on him while his nails dug deeper and deeper. The boy was so consumed in his pain that he had forgotten everything else.

Kakashi didn't mind the bites in his shoulder. He has been through more pain before and was used to it by now.

Finally, Kakashi found something that he could do to for Sasuke. He would give what it is that Sasuke would take – his presence, his nearness. And Kakashi would take whatever it is that Sasuke would give -

His pain.

-=**oOo=-**

**A/N: I'm here again begging for your comments. Am I making Sasuke too vulnerable? Does it suit him though? PLEASE LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS! ****Otherwise I won't be able to continue because I'm so insecure...**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: I'm baaack! Did anybody miss me though? I missed you guys so muuuch! As thanks for the people who keep supporting my story, especially those who gave such encouraging words during my confusion (ahaha) I made this chapter longer than the usual. Hope you enjoy!**

**-=oOo=-**

Kakashi winces as Sasuke's jaw clamped on his shoulder. There was growling coming from deep inside the boy, coming out of his mouth in the form of angry breaths. Kakashi could feel the hot insides of Sasuke's mouth on his wounded flesh while cold lips trembled. He could feel Sasuke's throat tightening and loosening. Sasuke was quivering in physical pain but the vibrating in his neck suggests he was trying to speak.

"Mmmph…"

It wasn't the first time Kakashi had seen tears. He's been in so many battles that he'd witnessed hundreds of deaths. Kakashi is quick to kill but some of his enemies were stubborn, fighting for life until their last breath. They cried out their loved ones names, sometimes apologizing out loud for their life's mistakes or just died feeling like a loser so they cried.

"Mmmph…"

There were also times where comrades died beside him, no matter how hard Kakashi tries to protect his team. After Kakashi finishes the enemy, he finds someone was struck down in the middle of the fight. Sometimes, the wounded would die before they got the proper treatment. When the wound was fatal and the person was too incapacitated to speak, Kakashi would just look into their teary eyes and grab their hand. For a shinobi, anything that must be said was understood in that gesture.

"Mmmphurts…"

Women's tears were particularly hard to witness. The widows of the comrades that died beside him would cry once he gave the news. Kakashi would recall of their late husband's bravery in the battlefield while they wept conservatively. Kunoichi's of the Leaf were very proud women; they would not bawl in public but reserve their tears for a moment of solitude. However, when a woman's out-pour was too crippling, Kakashi would be chivalrous - he lent a shoulder or lightly pat his hand on her back. Kakashi learned that if you just let them cry, they would stop on their own.

Kakashi tightened his embrace on Sasuke, putting on more pressure, squeezing the tears out of him, so every pain would pour out. He wanted to say something but the words can't seem to cross the small distance between the brain and the mouth.

Kakashi finds himself cursing inwardly because he was thinking uselessly again. He was choosing his words, thinking of what impact each letter would make, which intonation would elicit a certain response, contemplating the right timing for a meditated result. Words were the sharpest tools and Kakashi had learned to use them.

"It… hurts…"

Kakashi grits his teeth. Nothing comes to mind now. All words had left him. He has nothing to say. What was he doing? He was supposed to comfort but he doesn't know. He doesn't know how to make the tears stop. He doesn't know how to make Sasuke feel better. He wants to take the pain away from him but there's nothing he could do. He doesn't know how.

Nobody was there to comfort him when he was sad. When he was lonely, all Kakashi had was himself. The best advice he could give himself was to store the tears inside of him. The emotion may be inevitable but crying was unnecessary. He'd let a teardrop fall as he yawned in the mornings. He'd let them fall when they had to operate without anesthesia. He'd let them fall from overuse of Mangekyou Sharingan. All other times he doesn't let them fall and just keeps them in storage.

_It's okay. I'm here now._

A voice comes to mind, gentle and soft as the wind. It was unbelievably comforting, so surprisingly calming, that it blew all his troubles away. Kakashi had heard this before. He was in tears then. He had inhaled acid mist and was vomiting the contents of his stomach. He was on all fours and his sensei was rubbing his back with warm slim fingers.

"It's okay. I'm here now."

Kakashi could only repeat Minato's words. He was surprised that Sasuke could still dig deeper and bite harder. It was impossible how the boy was holding up despite the chakra drainage. Sasuke was running on adrenaline now. He was roaring in pain, stifling the sounds with Kakashi's flesh. The angry vibrations from Sasuke's throat and lips soothed the same wounds he inflicted.

_Just let it all out. It will make you feel better. _

His sensei truly was a great shinobi. Kakashi would even go as far to say that Minato was a perfect shinobi. He was a true genius; he lacked nothing in talent and skill. He also had great insight in the human heart and mind. He had a vision and a dream. Minato had always been Kakashi's role model. He was the shinobi who relied on both his rational and emotional self. Minato didn't deny himself his emotions – he loved the village, he loved his wife, Kushina, he loved his son, Naruto – and he was stronger because of it. He was not weakened by his feelings but it made his resolve stronger. Feelings did not cloud his mind rather it gave him better judgment.

"Just let it all out. It will make you feel better."

Kakashi moved a hand and stroke the length of Sasuke's back, occasionally rubbing circles here and there. Kakashi did not know if his voice even reached Sasuke's ears. He was practically screaming in his shoulders now, lifting his teeth out for a second to inhale, and then bracing them again with Kakashi's skin to suppress the cries of pain.

_You're going to be alright. Everything will be alright._

Minato was also the perfect sensei. Kakashi greatly admired him and he took his teachings to heart. He learned that even though you were funny, idiotic and spontaneous at times, people will still respect and even love you more. Ever wonder how Kakashi started reading Jiraiya's books? Reading was Minato's hobby. Minato particularly loved reading his sensei's, Jiraiya's books – even naming his son after one of the characters. Jiraiya's books had evolved into different genres with the times but Kakashi nevertheless read them.

"You're going to be alright. Everything will be alright."

Kakashi was stroking the back of Sasuke's head now. All of a sudden Sasuke had loosened his jaw and fingers. It was only by a fraction but the decrease in stamina was showing its effects. His body will not be allowing him to self-destruct, only letting him stretch out as far as possible without breaking. In only a little while, Sasuke would start to slip away from consciousness. It would not be long till the last tear drops falls and Sasuke had cried himself to sleep.

_There's nothing to fear. _

Minato was a good man. Oftentimes, that was all that really mattered in this world. Once, Kakashiignored Minato's instruction to not be hasty and just be the backup. Kakashi insisted that the time was right to try out his new jutsu – Chidori – even reminding his sensei that he was _the _captain that time. Minato let him do as he wanted. Kakashi put himself in mortal danger due to his arrogance and Minato saved him before the Earth shinobi could strike a lethal blow. Minato could've stopped him by force when he was stubborn. Minato could've lectured him to make his point. Minato didn't have to save him; he could've let him get hurt to get his message across.

"There's nothing to fear."

Sasuke's crying had died down considerably. When Sasuke lifted his mouth off him, Kakashi could feel blood, spit and tears drip down his body. Sasuke's fingers were still at his back, nails not digging deep, but still pulling him closer. Sasuke's head was resting comfortably on his neck, breath still ragged and shallow.

_I'm here._

Kakashi was already captain of his team. The fact alone that his sensei had put his trust in a nine year old jounin was proof that Minato looked at him as an equal. Though he was the better shinobi, Minato did not treat Kakashi as weak but respected him as a man. He let Kakashi make the decisions, he let him act on his own and create his own future - it was a sign of Minato's confidence in him. However, more than that, Minato let Kakashi make mistakes and learn from them. Above everything, Minato lets Kakashi _realize_ his own mistake and saves him before he gets seriously hurt.

"I'm here, Sasuke." Kakashi continues to caress the back of Sasuke's head. "It's alright, I understand." Kakashi let his lips graze the top of Sasuke's head. "If it hurts, just keep crying okay? I'm here."

"-kashi…" The words escape Sasuke's mouth in wisps. Sasuke was still crying. It seems like Sasuke had been storing his tears too, and slowly drowning in them. "It… hurts…"

"Don't worry, we'll get through this together." Kakashi doesn't want to make empty promises so he tries his best to give some sort of comfort. No matter how much he wants to say that it will go away soon, he knows it won't. But it will be better; in the end, everything will be better. "If it hurts, just lean on me alright?" Kakashi secures his hold on Sasuke once more. "I'm always here. I won't leave you. I won't hurt you."

"-hurts…" Sasuke whimpers. It looks like nothing is registering in Sasuke's head. The pain has taken over and Sasuke was in his own world. The hurting had fully consumed him. "Make… it… stop…"

When Sasuke's fingers lost their grip, Kakashi knew the boy wouldn't stay conscious for long. Kakashi took this opportunity to lay Sasuke down. Sasuke was walking the razor now. Who knows how much he has pushed himself to destroy the barrier? He must have tried tens of times. After that he forcefully opened his eyes for two more times today. His body has reached the limit. Kakashi doubts if Sasuke would be able to sleep in this condition. He doubts if Sasuke would ever wake up.

If Minato was here, he wouldn't have let his student get seriously hurt. Sasuke had already realized his mistake and what was left was for his sensei to save him. Kakashi had already let Sasuke get hurt but if he could be half of the man Minato taught him to be, he won't let Sasuke die.

Kakashi was moving Sasuke's leg to a more comfortable position when Sasuke's hand gripped his wrist with deadly force. The momentary loss of contact made Sasuke hold on to him in desperation.

"-sei…" he calls out weakly despite all the power Sasuke put in his words.

Kakashi didn't waste a second before grabbing Sasuke's hand and enfolding them with his own. Sasuke was consumed with his pain but it seems like he knows that Kakashi was there. It seems like he could hear and was listening. Kakashi would still have said those words, even if they were unheard, even if it was futile.

It seems like he underestimated the strongest weapon after all.

"I'm here, Sasuke. I'm not leaving you. As long as you want me to, I'll stay here. I'm here, Sasuke."

Kakashi repeats the words as though it was the anthem of his life.


End file.
